ALBANY – The Western Maine Chapter of the Small Woodland Association of Maine will host an informational meeting on tree planting at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 17, near the Albany Basin along Crooked River just off Route 5.

Tim Sawyer, a forester for Chadbourne Tree Farms in Bethel, will lead a tour of Harry Brown’s gravel pit where thousands of pine and spruce have been planted over the last two years. State Forester Merle Ring will discuss various types of trees available for hand planting, along with methods, techniques and tools. Western Maine Nurseries of Fryeburg has donated bare-root and container stock for the demonstration, which will also include a discussion of time of year, site preparation and cost-share money.

The session will conclude with a walk on one of Sawyer’s woodlots in Waterford where white pine seedlings were planted after the ice storm.

The meeting site is just beyond the Albany/Waterford transfer station on Route 5, about a mile from the International sign. Coffee and doughnuts will be available at 8:30 a.m., signs will be posted and the session is open to the public.